Device for twisting fence-wire



(No Model.)

.W. vS. BARKER.

DEVICE FOR. TWISTING FENCE WIRE.

Patented Jan. 29, 1889.

N. PETERS. Phowulhc m hu waahiugmn, D. Q

UNITED STATES ErncE.

PATENT DEVICE FOR TWISTING FENCE==WlRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 896,973, dated January 29, 1889.

Application filed November 26, 1888. Serial No. 291,833. (No model.)

To all 2071 0122 it may concern.-

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM. SEWARD BAR" KER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Twisting Fence- Wire; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the an nexed drawings, making apart of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of the corner of a rail fence, showing the application of my invention thereto; Fig. 2, a side elevation of my improved wire-twisting device; Fig. 3, an under plan view of the same; and Fig. 4 a perspective view in detail, showing the wire connected to the twisting device and after the twist is completed.

The present invention has for its object to provide a simple and effective device for twisting the wires around the ends of the rails of a fence to make the corners of the fence secure against winds or prevent horses or any kind of stock from throwing the rails off or pushing the fence down.

The invention therefore consists of a device constructed substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the wire-twisting device constructed of meta-l, and preferably provided with leverhandles a for turning it in the act of twisting the wire, although, if desired, the device may have a shank similar to a bit, whereby a bitstock may be used for turning it; or any other preferred means may be employed for conveniently turning the device.

The device A consists of a plate, Z), having upon its under side bearing-shoulders 0, against which the ends of the wire press when being twisted, and also a central nipple, B, having a spiral groove, (1, for the seating of the wire therein when twisted around the nipple, as shown in Fig. at. The plate 5, upon each side of the bearing-shoulders c, has holes 9, through which pass the ends of the wire, said holes being diagonally opposite each other, and, if preferred, these holes may have slots f, so that they will catch the wire and hold it from slipping when in the act of twisting or tightening the wire around the rails. As will be noticed, more than two of these holes are provided, there being four shown, although an increased number may be used. The object of more than two hole-s is that a new rail fence will not settle together as much as an old one, and by having an increased number of holes for the wire, and farther from the center or nipple B, they take up more wire, thereby allowing for the old rails pressing together.

The holes may, if desired, extend out through the sides of the plate, thus forming open slots to enable the wire to be placed in sidewise, instead of being inserted from the under side of the plate. The nipple B, as will be seen, is tapering, and answers three purposes, viz: It holds the device up from the top rail, so that it will work free and clear of said rail. It keeps the wire from coming together and twisting until the lower end of the nipple is reached, thus enabling the device to turn with ease. The nipple acts as a spool to wind up the slack and tighten the wire, since the nipple tapers in a downward direction. The S111 aller the nipple the tighter the wire is drawn, thus giving a greater leverage on the wire; and when the wires are at the desired tension they meet at the lower or smaller end of the nipple and form the twist, thereby securing the ends of the wire together on the fence. The spiral groove on the nipple keeps the wires in place thereon, thus forming an even twist and a perfect lock of the wire around the fence-rails.

The grooves are double, so as to take in both ends of the wire, and are of sufficient depth to form a perfect seat for the wire. In use the wire is cut of sufficient length to en circle the corner of the fence, and is run through under the bottom rail, or as far down as desired to lock the fence, after which the ends of the wire are passed through between the rails to opposite sides and brought up to the top of the fence and through the holes e in the twisting device. The wire is now ready to be bound tightly around the fence by turning the device A until the wire is properly twisted, which will securely lash the rails to gether and keep them from slipping midway down the ienee and bring the wire tight to the rails all the way up the fenee on both sides.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a device for twisting fence-wire, the combination, with a plate having holes for the 10 ends of the wire, of a ni ple having spiral grooves, substantially as and for the purpose set fortlil,

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ALLISON ALEXANDER, V. H. \VATSON. 

